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TheFunded Founder Institute Expands to 4 New Cities
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2010-01-21
The Founder Institute, a training program for technology entrepreneurs that shares equity upside among all stakeholders, is opening semesters in Singapore, Paris, Los Angeles and Denver for the Spring 2010. With this expansion, the Institute will now operate in nine cities worldwide, putting it on pace to graduate over 700 founders creating over 500 companies per year.
The Institute is run by founders for founders, providing a framework for successful entrepreneurs to share their experiences and to help. We've already lined up an impressive group of mentors for the Spring semesters, including Nolan Bushnell (Founder of Atari), Michael Robertson (Former CEO of MP3.com), Aaron Patzer (Founder and CEO of Mint.com), Phil Libin (CEO of Evernote), and many more.
If you can benefit from training and mentorship to make your startup more successful, please apply. If you know a founder that needs help, encourage them to join the program. The deadline for early admissions is February 15th, with all applications due by February 28th, 2010.
- Apply to the Singapore Program
- Apply to the Paris Program
- Apply to the Los Angeles Program
- Apply to the Denver Program
Everyone that graduates from the program is invited to join a pool to share in the upside generated from the success of their peers. This adds a unique camaraderie to the program and creates a long-term peer support group with a vested interest in your success. Take a minute to apply today.
Below is a video introduction to the Founder Institute delivered to 100 guests at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Welcome to the Founder Institute
Interested in Founder Institute updates? Sign-up at: http://bit.ly/4vJaJu
For experienced CEOs, we invite you to a special one day symposium discussing the future of funding, hosted by TheFunded. More information is available below:
PRIVATE: Members OnlyFounder Showcase Pitches (Part 2 of 2)
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2010-01-19
Founder Showcase Pitches (Part 1 of 2)
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2010-01-19
Congratulations to the Founder Showcase Winner: Mighty Meeting
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2010-01-16
MightyMeeting, a cross platform presentation company, won top pitch at the Founder Showcase in Silicon Valley last night by open ballot. Dmitri Tcherevik, CEO of Mighty Meeting, brought the 200 person audience to surprise applause in the middle of the three minute pitch. Dmitri showed the ability of MightMeeting to quickly upload, share and control both a projected and online presentation with a few gestures from an iPhone. See below:
MightyMeeting is a cloud-based service that can be used to manage a private library of presentations in multiple formats. This library can be accessed from a range of mobile devices, such as the iPhone, iPod Touch or Android phones. The presentations are shared through email, blogs, Twitter or Facebook. Users can start, join or control web conferences directly from their own mobile device. The solution is optimized to work over 3G wireless networks and does not require Flash in the browser.
As the Founding Member of TheFunded, I have been using and showing the Mighty Meeting software all day. It converts graphically rich PowerPoint presentations perfectly, which is my gripe with other services. There's no uploading required either, just email presentations to your own address at the domain. It's surprisingly good, and I strongly recommend that you try it. Here's another favorable review from TechCrunch:
MightyMeeting Lets You Conduct PowerPoint Presentations From Your Smartphone
The Founder Showcase is a quarterly event that helps to democratize access to Silicon Valley for seed stage companies. Thank you to everyone who attended the event and to the sponsors who helped support the evening: Sun Startup Essentials and Cooley Godward Kronish.
PRIVATE: Members Only12 Showcase Companies Selected
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2010-01-13
The twelve presenting companies have been selected for the Founder Showcase this Thursday evening, January 14th, in Santa Clara. The fast paced pitches will be broken up with networking breaks and short talks by leading early-stage founders, Phillip Kaplan of Blippy and Jay Jamison of Moonshoot. With over 200 founders, reporters and investors registered, the event should prove to be exciting, inspiring and entertaining.
- http://www.foundershowcase.com
The presenting company with the most audience votes will win a Grand Prize of $2,500 in cash, $1,000 in free legal services from Cooley Godward Kronish LLP (www.Cooley.com), free use of a Ferrari 360 Spider, and many other start-up essentials. Enjoy!
PRIVATE: Members OnlyOne Week to the Founder Showcase
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2010-01-07
Take a moment to review and vote for your favorite seed-stage companies in TheFunded.com Showcase. Those with the most votes will be invited to next week's Founder Showcase event in Silicon Valley for free, where they'll have the opportunity to pitch in front of peers, investors and the media. The winner of an audience vote at the event will receive $2,500 plus a variety of other business and personal perks, including use of a Ferrari 360 Spider.
The Founder Showcase aims to democratize access to the Silicon Valley elite. A finalist at our last event, RelayRides, met an angel at the event who participated in their seed round, and we hope to inspire many more success stories.
Make a difference - take a few moments to vote for your favorite pitches today.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyHappy New Year and Our 2010 Goals
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2010-01-02
With a bright future in mind, TheFunded wishes you a Happy New Year and a successful 2010.
2009 was a tough year for many of the Member CEOs. The collapse of the IPO market in 2000 followed by the near collapse of the financial markets in 2008 have made it one of the hardest times in the last decade for startups to raise capital. In Q3 09, funds made $4.8 billion in investments, half the amount invested in Q4 07, but these funds only raised $1.5 billion themselves for making future investments, about 12% of Q4 07 decade highpoint (NVCA). In 2010, the last funds with large returns from the dotcom era will mature, and the newer vintage funds have losses ranging from 17% to 30% as a class (NVCA). With less money available and negative returns, the venture capital industry is imploding. Over the next eighteen months, the amount of money available to startups from all sources may face a fivefold decline from the previous decade high in 2007.
There are bright spots emerging. Corporations, local governments, and angel investors have stepped in to fill the need for growth capital. In the face of the many changes, TheFunded plans to adapt and take a leadership role in the transition, continuing to help entrepreneurs succeed.
In 2010, TheFunded plans to help entrepreneurs find resources to grow with less capital, to identify new and active funding sources, and to remedy systemic problems in the overall funding model. Read the Private section for more details...
PRIVATE: Members Only (1818 Characters)The Year's Best VC's
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2010-01-02
TheFunded will publish a list of the top rated investors of 2009 on January 11th, 2010, and your vote before this deadline will make a difference. Being chosen by the Membership as a top rated investor is a meaningful accolade for the individual and their fund. The current list of top rated investors is:
If you see an investor who does not belong, click on their name, and vote them with a 'thumbs down' or an 'avoid' icon. If you know someone who should be on the list, look them up in the search field and rate them with a 'thumbs up' or 'star.' Your vote counts. Thank you.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyYou're Invited to the New Founder Showcase
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-12-16
The overall startup climate is slowly improving, but it's still too hard for young companies to get exposure. Finding the right investors and getting access to the media is as challenging as it every was. It's time to democratize access and address this problem head on. We can change this together.
Today, we're launching the Founder Showcase, where any Member can showcase their business on TheFunded.com. Once a quarter, TheFunded.com will invite early-stage companies with the most Member votes to an event where they can pitch in front of an audience of leading entrepreneurs, media, and investors for free.
- http://www.thefunded.com/showcase
On January 14th in the heart of Silicon Valley, TheFunded.com will bring together an amazing group of 200 founders, reporters, and investors to support the next generation of entrepreneurs. Dinner and drinks will be served. We're going to have fun speakers and hear great pitches. We invite you to join us. Every early-stage startup is invited to post a pitch on the Founder Showcase, and try to win one of ten slots on stage. The best pitch decided by the audience will get $2,500 in cash and a bunch of startup essentials for free. Every Member is encouraged to vote for the companies that they like best. Tickets to the Showcase are just $50, tables are just $350, and pitching is free, of course. Show your support for entrepreneurship by reserving a seat or a table at the link below:
- http://www.foundershowcase.com
- http://bit.ly/showc #foundershowcase for Twitter
PRIVATE: Members OnlyThe Funded Founder Institute Bay Area Deadline is Wed, Dec 2nd
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-12-01
The Final Admission deadline for TheFunded Founder Institute semester in the Bay Area is 11:59pm PST on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009.
If you can benefit from training and mentorship to make your startup more successful, please apply. If you know a founder that needs help, encourage them to join the program. The Institute is run by founders for founders, providing a framework for successful entrepreneurs to share their experiences and to help. Confirmed Mentors in the program include Trip Adler, Aaron Patzer, Phil Libin, Kirill Makharinsky, and Adeo Ressi, among others.
Click here to apply for the Bay Area Semester
Completing an application takes under an hour. Good luck, and Enjoy!
PRIVATE: Members OnlyInstitute Events in Seattle and Palo Alto
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-11-19
Anyone thinking to start a company or running a new startup that can use some assistance is invited to attend one of two upcoming informational sessions on TheFunded Founder Institute. They're fun, and they're free:
Seattle - November 19th
6:30 PM in Redmond
Bay Area - November 24th
6:30 PM in Palo Alto
There are reasons that the Institute runs four month programs in various cities twice per year. It would be easier to videotape lessons or write a book, but learning to be a successful entrepreneur isn't easy. Heres the thinking:
Success: Most of the things that you need to know to build a successful company from scratch can't be learned from books or from school. How do you know when a cofounder is right? When do you start talking about your business idea publicly? When do you quit your job? How do you get exposure for your idea from the media? The lessons of entrepreneurship are usually learned the hard way, and the deadly array of potential mistakes cause most startups to fail. Entrepreneurs that succeed are often lucky, fail fast, and recover intelligently. A good mentor with poignant advice can help you avoid most of the obvious mistakes and some of the less obvious pitfalls. Many successful entrepreneurs credit a part of their success to a mentor or friend, and the Institute has formalized this invaluable relationship. The Institute has one Mentor per enrolled founder in nearly all of the cities.
Timeliness: The world is changing daily, and the tools required to be a successful entrepreneur are changing as well. Books and school can't keep pace with the change, but successful entrepreneurs today are capitalizing on the changes to win. The best advice is from someone who is succeeding in the present, not someone who succeeded more than a decade ago. Why? Job boards like Monster were relevant in the 90's, Craigslist was relevant afterwards, and social media is the place to find team members today. You want Mentors who can give you timely advice on how to succeed, and the Institute only recruits successful CEOs of startup companies that are not too big.
Location: Building a successful technology startup differs significantly based on the location of where you start, as well as the present day trends. For example, expensive real estate costs drive decision making in New York and Silicon Valley. Top talent in Silicon Valley will quit everything to be a cofounder on a promising idea and work for equity. The nuances of each market require local expertise. So, the Institute tries to get at least half of the Mentor CEOs from the local market. The remaining Mentors are chosen to be subject matter experts from anywhere in the world
Motivation: Taking the first steps to start your new company are daunting, even if you love your idea, even if you have experience, and even if you have a great plan. The Founder Institute itself was carefully planned, but a leak in TechCrunch forced us to incorporate and to start accepting applications months before "the original plan." Without the leak, who knows what would have happened, and the Institute is my eighth company. Applying to the Institute and getting accepted is a catalyst. It's the sign for you to launch your company.
Feedback on the reasons is welcomed. Enjoy!
PRIVATE: Members OnlyTheFunded Founder Institute Deadline Sunday
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-11-14
The Early Admissions deadline for TheFunded Founder Institute semesters in the Bay Area, New York, and Seattle is midnight on Sunday, November 15th, 2009. Applications are also being accepted for the greater Washington DC area.
If you can benefit from training and mentorship to make your startup more successful, please apply. If you know a founder that needs help, encourage them to join the program. The Institute is run by founders for founders, providing a framework for successful entrepreneurs to share their experiences and to help.
There are a three benefits to applying before midnight on Sunday. First, early admission applicants have two separate chances to be accepted, since the application will be reviewed on this Monday and then again after the final admissions date. Second, the acceptance rate of early admission applicants has historically been just over 50%, versus lower rates in the final admissions deadline. Third, accepted founders from early admissions have more time to enroll, to get set-up, and to review the courses.
-- Apply here for the Bay Area
-- Apply here for Greater Washington DC Area
Completing an application takes under an hour. Good luck, and Enjoy!
PRIVATE: Members OnlyFounder Showcase and the Future of Funding
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-11-13
TheFunded.com has created a unique Silicon Valley networking event for seed and early stage founders, the Founder Showcase. The evening event highlights the newest ideas and cutting-edge businesses, helping innovators gain traction among the Silicon Valley elite.
Ten companies will be elected by their peers to pitch in the Founder Showcase on January 14th, 2010. A number of companies have waiting for the instructions on how to get elected. The process is simple:
- First, reserve a ticket to the Founder Showcase event.
- Second, create a Pitch on the new Showcase section of TheFunded.com (formerly the Connect section). You need to be a Member of TheFunded to view the Showcase section and to create a pitch, which is free for CEOs.
- Third, collect the most votes from other CEOs, and you will be invited as one of ten on stage in Silicon Valley. CEOs can vote multiple times, but can only cast one vote per company.
Additionally, just five discounted Early Registration tickets remain to the Future of Funding event on February 18th, 2010. If you are interested in discussing the future trends of venture capital, angel investing, and startup liquidity, reserve a seat here among the top minds in the industry. Confirmed participants include Tim Draper of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Michael Arrignton of TechCrunch, Kimbal Musk of OneRiot, and George Zachary of Charles River Venture, among many others.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyTheFunded Founder Institute Returns to the Bay Area
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-11-09
TheFunded Founder Institute, a four month program to help founders build the next generation of world-class technology companies, is launching a new semester in the Bay Area from December, 2009, until March, 2010. The Institute is currently accepting applications for founders in Washington DC, Seattle, and New York, and launched a successful semester in San Diego.
The program is run by founders for founders, providing a framework for successful entrepreneurs to share their experiences and to provide guidance. Read the comments in this TechCrunch article to see feedback from 54 companies that have graduated from the program.
The Bay Area semester is amassing a strong group of Mentors, including Aaron Patzer, CEO of Mint.com and top-rated Mentor from the first semester. Everyone that graduates from the program is invited to join a pool to share in the upside generated from the success of their peers. This adds a unique camaraderie to the program and creates a long-term peer support group with a vested interest in your success.
If you have a new company or if you are thinking to start a company, take a moment and apply to the program. Enjoy!
PRIVATE: Members OnlyTaking Seed Money From the Right Source [Roundup]
TheFunded.com News
Posted by Admin on 2009-11-06
Where you acquire funding from may not just be as simple as how much money you are looking to raise. Your initial round of funding sets the precedent for all future rounds. Who you take money from and understanding the consequences is critical. Chris Dixon, CEO of Hunch, recently wrote on his blog about pitfalls of accepting money from the "wrong" entity. Discussed here are the difference between VC and Angel money as well as what to watch out for when accepting seed funding. Here's the roundup:
VC or Angel, Don't Approach The Wrong Source - Brad Feld outlines guidelines for whether you should be approaching a VC or Angel investor. From the amount of money you are looking to raise to the type of company you are building, these factors determine whether to approach a VC or Angel. - Entrepreneur
Taking Seed Money From Big VCs - If a big venture firms isn't "following on" with their initial seed investment, that can cause serious problems for the entrepreneur. Even if a VC wants to follow on, Dixon says, "you are likely to get a lower valuation than you would have had you taken money from other sources of funding." He walks through an example of how this can happen. - Silicon Alley Insider
Red Flag Signals for VC Firms - Dixon explains a rather misunderstood phenomenon about VC sponsored seed incubator programs. Many people think that because they were associated with a prestigious VC firm, their company would be widely welcomed in the VC community. Dixon points out, alternatively, "the better the VC, the stronger the negative signal when they pass." Once a well respected VC firm passes on your deal, it sends a major negative signal to other firms when looking to raise money. - Chris Dixon's Blog
PRIVATE: Members OnlyEvents Calendar
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-10-27
There are three events coming up: an exclusive "Future of Funding" conference, an improved "Showcase" event series for seed stage startups, and a launch of the Founder Institute in Seattle.
The Future of Funding: Feb 18, 2010, San Mateo, CA
Help shape the future of funding with the best minds in the industry. Members of TheFunded have 25 discounted tickets to this intimate conference for top limited partners, leading venture capitalists, and, of course, entrepreneurs.
Founder Showcase: Jan 14, 2010, Mountain View, CA
Sign-up to pitch your company, meet your peers, talk to the media, and interact with top-rated investors at this exciting Silicon Valley evening.
Seattle Founder Institute Informational Event: Nov 2, 2009 Seattle, WA
Learn about the Founder Institute in this evening discussion session at the University of Washington.
We hope to see you soon.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyThe Founder Institute in Washington Dc
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-10-09
The Founder Institute, a new training program for technology entrepreneurs that shares equity upside among all stakeholders, is expanding into the Washington DC area starting on December 1st, 2009. Founders are invited to meet the Founding Member, hear from graduates about the Institute, and learn some salient lessons about building a fast growth company on Tuesday, October 13th, at 7:00 PM.
Anyone thinking of starting a company or running a new startup is invited to attend for free at George Mason University. Just ten spots remain for this event, so please register at the link below:
Hope to see you there!
PRIVATE: Members OnlyLast Chance to Join Us on Tuesday Night
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-10-05
Today is the last day to purchase tickets to inaugural "Juice Pitcher" event on the evening of October 6th, 2009. Aaron Patzer, CEO of Mint.com, will discuss how he built a $170 MM company in three years. Munjal Shah, CEO of Like.com, will talk about the best practices in earning revenue. Ten seed stage companies will showcase their new products on stage. Founders, investors, and the media will have the opportunity to socialize over a casual dinner and drinks in Mountain View.
Reserve one of the last few tickets now:
-- http://juicepitcher.eventbrite.com/
Hope to see you there!
Microsoft BizSpark offers software, support, and visibility to new companies. As part of the program, BizSpark connects new companies with a nationwide community of Network Partners, including angel investors and incubator organizations, so it's invaluable for anyone seeking funding or support.
PRIVATE: Members Only
Join the Founder Institute in San Diego / Orange County
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-09-29
TheFunded Founder Institute, a four month training and mentoring program for entrepreneurs backed by some of the leading startup CEOs, has just started accepting applications for a Fall semester in San Diego / Orange County. The list of world class mentors eager to help build southern Californian companies is growing daily.
Members can help kick off this new program by spreading the word:
Know a founder in San Diego or someone who should start a company? Please invite them to apply: http://bit.ly/4BED8P
Know a Mentor in San Diego or a CEO that wants to help their peers? Please ask them to be a Mentor: http://bit.ly/13En7g
Interested in Washington DC, Seattle, or another location? Please sign-up for updates: http://bit.ly/4vJaJu
PRIVATE: Members OnlyComplete Set of Founder Friendly Legal Docs
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-09-29
TheFunded has produced founder-friendly versions of every legal document necessary to launch a new startup. These documents were carefully written from scratch to keep founders in control of the companies that they create.
-- Bylaws
-- Certificate of Incorporation
-- Initial Stockholder Consent
-- Invention Assignment Agreement
-- Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement
-- Indemnification Agreement
-- Initial Board Consent
-- Action by Incorporator
-- Plain Preferred Term Sheet
Please help by sharing these documents with anyone that you know who is launching a startup, and borrow some of the founder protections for your own company from the Certificate of Incorporation.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyWomen Entrepreneurs and Raising Capital [Roundup]
TheFunded.com News
Posted by Admin on 2009-09-27
When it comes to raising capital, do women have a harder time than their male counterparts? A personal opinion from a well respected CEO and several reports and surveys shed some light on this topic and how to go about raising capital as a women entrepreneur. Here's the roundup:
SlideShare CEO on Women Entrepreneurs - An interesting blog post by Rashmi Sinha, co-founder and CEO of SlideShare, describes her thoughts and experience on raising venture capital as a woman and the hesitation of VC firms in women led startups. - Rashmi's Blog
Statistics on Women and Outside Investments - A Fast Company blog post highlights statistics from studies and research findings pointing out that "male high tech entrepreneurs get 11% of total financing in formal equity, whereas women only get 1.6%." She also states opinions expressed at the National Academy of Engineering Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medecine regarding why women entrepreneurs may have such a hard time raising outside investments. - Fast Company
PRIVATE: Members OnlyVenture Capital Model [Roundup]
TheFunded.com News
Posted by Admin on 2009-09-22
The discussion on a broken venture capital model continues with prominent venture capitalist, Michael Moritz, speaking out at a panel discussion in Israel last week and a poll done back in June echoing concerns from the majority of the VC community. Moritz and other venture capitalists touch on the history of venture capital and issues that have risen over the past 20 years.
Moritz Addresses Broken VC Model - In a conference in Israel last week, Michael Moritz, a Partner at Sequoia Capital who backed the likes of Google and Yahoo, addressed the problem of the "venture capital model [being] broken for 20 years." He alludes to the fact that over the past 20 years, the majority of venture capital funds didn't deliver on their promise of returns. Another venture capitalist speaking at the panel, Chemi Peres, speaks to the "venture capital model that exists today is not suitable for [the venture capital] industry". Here is a link to the article translated by Google Translate. - Venture Capital Model Broken
Survey of 100 VCs On Their Industry - A survey back in June conducted by executive search firm Polachi Inc, polling over 100 venture capitalists, revealed 53% of those responded "yes," to the question, "Is the VC industry is broken?" Though "broken" is not clearly defined, it is significant to point out that a majority nonetheless thought something needed to be fixed. - Polachi VC Survey
PRIVATE: Members OnlyThe Founder Institute Coming to San Diego
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-09-20
On Tuesday, September 22nd, San Diego is hosting an informational event about TheFunded Founder Institute for local entrepreneurs, where you can meet the Founding Member and graduates from the inaugural semester. One graduate, @molorewards, will be launching at 2:45 PM at DEMO Fall 2009 Conference that day.
If you are interested in helping as a mentor or joining the San Diego program as a founder, please reserve a seat at link below:
The free event runs from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. See you there!
PRIVATE: Members OnlyThe Funded Founder Institue Graduates 54 Companies
TheFunded.com News
Posted by The Founding Member on 2009-09-14
On Tuesday, September 8th, TheFunded Founder Institute graduated 54 companies from the inaugural semester. Throughout the next few weeks, the businesses developed within the Institute will be launching to the public. Skimble (http://skimble.com), a web portal to track your active lifestyle, was the first Institute company to launch with several thousand thousand outdoor enthusiasts as early users, as well as a nice article in TechCrunch (http://bit.ly/siNpz).
The vision of the Institute is to help founders build world-class technology companies by providing peer support, structured training, mentorship by experienced founders, access to investors, and best of breed services. Each of the 66 founders in the program attended 17 training sessions over four months, and each session was lead by a team of world-class CEOs. After each session, the founders were assigned company-building projects that they completed with their peers in working groups. All of the stakeholders, from mentors to founders, participate in any equity upside generated from the 54 companies.
The Institute is now planning future semesters in the Bay Area and in various cities throughout the world. First, the Institute would like to thank the sponsors: Microsoft BizSpark, the Founders Fund, and Charles River Ventures. These firms are clear supporters of entrepreneurship. Second, the Institute would like to thank the 27 mentors that took precious time to help founders build the next wave of world-class companies: Aaron Patzer, Alain Raynaud, Bryan Thatcher, Bubba Murarka, David Higley, David Kidder, Eugene Lee , J. Barry Thompson, James Hong, Jason Calacanis, Jason Nazar, Jay Jamison, Jeff Stewart, Jen Shelby, Joe Zawadzki, Joe Betts-LaCroix, Ken Ross, Mark Pincus, Michael Arrington, Michael Diamant, Munjal Shah, Peter Pham, Philip Kaplan, Russ Fradin, Scott Heiferman, Scott Painter, and Trip Adler. Congratulations to Mentor Aaron Patzer of Mint.com for the $170 MM sale to Intuit today (http://bit.ly/XOUcL).
Finally, we partnered with leading service providers to develop special offerings to help Institute founders build their business across seven phases. Below is a list of the service partners, each of whom have also shown strong support for startups:
- 99Designs (http://99designs.com/) - 99designs connects clients needing design work such as logo designs, business cards, or web sites to a thriving community of over 40,000 talented designers.
- Patent Express (http://www.patentexpress.com/) - Patent Express is the best place online to access affordable patent, trademark, copyright, international, and IP consultation services.
Product Planning
- Elance (http://www.elance.com/?rid=1JAGR) - Elance delivers an immediate, cost-effective and flexible way to hire, manage and pay independent professionals and contractors online.
- MediaTemple (http://mediatemple.net/) - (mt) Media Temple is an industry-leading, privately held, profitable web hosting and software application services company based in California.
- Wrike (http://www.wrike.com/) - Wrike is the leading provider of on-demand project management software for small and midsize companies.
- Weebly (http://www.weebly.com/) – Weebly enables over 2 million people to easily create personal sites and blogs or establish web presences for businesses, weddings, classrooms, churches, artistic portfolios, and more.
- nResult (http://www.nresult.com/) - nResult is a innovative software testing company, where their engineers act as a seamless extension of your own teams for a wide range of compatibility, functionality, usability, accessibility, and load testing.
- SugarCRM (http://www.sugarcrm.com/) - SugarCRM is the world's leading provider of commercial open source customer relationship management (CRM) software.
- The Outsourcing Company (http://www.theoutsourcingcompany.com) - Offering Web Development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay per Click (PPC), and Social Media Marketing (SMM) to help your company attract more clients - all at very affordable prices.
- PlanHQ (http://www.planhq.com) - PlanHQ is a web based business plan tool that turns your static document and spreadsheet into a dynamic and up-to-date overview of where you're going and how you're tracking.
- Mixpanel (http://www.mixpanel.com) - Mixpanel is a real-time analytics platform that tracks how users engage with web applications. Mixpanel goes way beyond Google Analytics and provides extremely detailed analysis that companies generally have to do all in-house.
- PBworks (http://www.pbworks.com) - PBworks is the world's largest provider of hosted business and educational workspaces. Over 50,000 businesses have chosen PBworks to implement knowledge management, extranets, project management, and more.
- ProjectLocker (http://www.projectlocker.com) - ProjectLocker is a leading provider of on-demand development tools for software developers, with products such as ProjectLocker Analytics and BuildLocker.
- New Relic (http://rpm.newrelic.com/affiliates/FF...) - New Relic is the leading provider of on-demand application performance management solutions. Their premier product, New Relic RPM, is an SaaS application performance management solution for web applications.
- BrowserMob (http://browsermob.com) - Ensure your website can handle heavy user loads with BrowserMob's low-cost on-demand load testing service.
- Balsamiq (http://balsamiq.com) - Balsamiq Mockups is the fastest and easiest wireframing tool on the market.
- CVSDude (http://cvsdude.com) - CVSDude is the leading provider of Subversion and CVS hosting. Use CVSDude to quickly set up, share, and back up your online version control and issue tracking repositories.
- Kontagent (http://bit.ly/8Gy6f) - Kontagent is a Facebook-funded viral analytics platform for social network applications. The Kontagent platform provides deep social data visualization and analysis that delivers actionable insights delivered via a hosted, on-demand service.
Modeling and Finance
- The Brenner Group (http://www.thebrennergroup.com/) - The Brenner Group is one of the technology community's leading specialized finance and accounting services firms.
- Liquid Scenarios (http://www.bpcentral.com/) - Liquid Scenarios software allows for advanced real time capitalization table and investment scenario modeling.
- Intuit (http://www.qboe.com) – Intuit's Quickbooks is the #1 small business financial software.
- FusionCharts (http://www.fusioncharts.com/?BS=TheFunded09) - FusionCharts v3 helps you create animated and interactive Flash charts for web and desktop applications, and works with all databases.
Team Development
- NeoHire (http://www.neohire.com/) - NeoHire is a premier recruiting agency specializing in online media and technology properties, most widely known for their superb client relationships and deep knowledge of the online space.
- The Resumator (http://www.theresumator.com/home/s:fo...) - TheResumator lets you handle job recruitment in one online interface – including the ability to add a job board to your site, post jobs to other sites, and collect, organize, and track positions and resumes.
- SalesConX (http://www.salesconx.com/) - Salesconx provides virtual independent, pay-for-performance sales teams to drive your business by leveraging their network of over 10,000 selling and business experts.
- Pacific Business Centers (http://www.pbcoffices.com) - Pacific Business Centers (PBC) is a leading provider of on-demand offices offering part-time and full-time office space, including virtual offices, private offices, and team-space in a shared infrastructure.
Company Formation
- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (http://www.wsgr.com) – The premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide.
Publicity and Awareness
- SeisMK (http://morris-king.com) - A division of The Morris + King Company (MKC), SeisMK expands MKC's already renowned digital PR and social media services to benefit brands seeking to engage in resonant conversations with media, users and other influencers.
- Conference Guru (http://www.conferenceguru.com/) - Conference Guru is the most comprehensive place to discover technology conferences, and purchase discount tickets.
- MyPRGenie (http://www.myprgenie.com/) - MyPRGenie is a social media-based, PR delivery platform that allows you to build traffic, access over 500,000 journalist/blog contacts, and track your results.
- PRNewswire (http://www.prnewswire.com/) - PR Newswire is the global leader in news and information distribution services for professional communicators.
- Constant Contact (http://thefunded.constantcontact.com) - Constant Contact's leading email marketing and online survey tools help more than 275,000 small businesses create a dialogue and connect with their audience.
- SEOmoz (http://www.seomoz.org) - SEOmoz is the web's premier destination for SEO education, tools and information. SEOmoz also provides consulting, Internet marketing and search engine optimization services to elite businesses around the globe.
- Lightserve (http://www.lightserve.com/) – Lightserve offers 409a valuation reports for a special Institute price, and offers software that stops VCs from sending around your confidential documents when you go out to raise money.
Congratulations, everyone, and thank you!
PRIVATE: Members OnlyNew VC Strategies and Less Fees [Roundup]
TheFunded.com News
Posted by Admin on 2009-08-27
Economic turmoil is changing the way that VCs invest. Here's the roundup:
Focusing Capital Away From Startups: Some firms are exiting the venture capital business to focus on more traditional private equity buy-outs, growth capital and infrastructure investments instead. 3i's exit comes with taking a significant discount with their "36 venture capital investments [valued] at 250m ($412.8m)," but selling it to "secondary firms for around 100m ($165m)" - AltAssets
VC Firms Becoming More Cautious: During this economic downturn, most VC firms are decreasing their investing dollars and instead focusing on their best companies. Early stage startups are being considered even more risky during this time. From the first to second quarter of 2009, there seems to be little improvement in total investment dollars. Biotechnology and medical device industries increased by 47% in the second quarter. - Epoch Times
Carried Interest Fee Cutbacks: With the recent move by TA Associates to cut its carried interest fee back to 20% from 25%, other firms are also making concessions during this tough economy and trying times for the venture capital community. Previously during the dot-com bubble, carried interest fees could be seen as high as 25-30%, with little backlash because the firm's returns had been more than 100%. - WSJ
PRIVATE: Members Only


text:
What Did You Change Your Mind About in 2007?
Re:Linux (578 comments)
I concur. Though, as a blind fly bumping into walls, I have taken a rather indirect approach.
I have switched from XP to Vista, which made my life miserable. Then from Vista to Ubuntu 7.10. Then Fedora 8. Then back to Ubuntu.
I only planned to run it on one computer (my laptop). But, one morning I turned on my desktop XP machine and it gave a billion errors about how SVCHOST.exe could not write to a memory address. I also noticed that firefox was never being updated since 99% of the time it ran under a limited account, and unlike Vista, there is no UAC to prompt for an admin user/password.
After that fuss, all the computers in my house run Ubuntu.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
AmfAR Goes "Gaga" for AIDS Research
Lady Gaga loves a snow day.
"We can't do it if it snows," sang Lady Gaga during a special performance at the amfAR Gala in New York last night. Many homebound New Yorkers agreed, yet fashion's finest defied Blizzard 2010, stomping their stilettos through snow, slush, and sleet to support AIDS research.
The black-tie dinner and auction officially kicked off Fashion Week. The industry's biggest names filled the tables, among them: Diane von Furstenberg, Glenda Bailey, Michael Kors, Donna Karan, Kenneth Cole, and Anna Wintour.
Margherita Missoni attended in a floor-length Missoni gown, daring the inclement weather to ruin it. "I never get the chance anymore!" said Missoni about her decision to dress up in dress-down weather.
Hollywood types braved the sludge, too. Julianna Margulies caught up with Cynthia Nixon as they made their way into the party. Zoë Saldana and Eliza Dushku sipped cocktails. Near the bar, Chloë Sevigny and Leigh Lezark talked shop, perhaps comparing show schedules.
"I'd like to change my name to 'Lady Gaga,'" event chair Stanley Tucci announced. Who wouldn't?Acting as the unofficial M.C., Tucci led the evening to honor Louis Vuitton C.E.O. Yves Carcelle, Sir Elton John, and David Furnish. The event also paid tribute to the late Natasha Richardson, a former amfAR board member. Her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, spoke of her daughter's commitment to the cause.
Those heartfelt words primed the audience for an impressive live auction. A Louis Vuitton vanity case designed by Sharon Stone pulled in $19,000 and a Francesco Vezzoli painting scored a whopping $70,000.
Then Cyndi Lauper took the stage to introduce Lady Gaga. The singers have both been tapped as spokeswomen for the new MAC Viva Glam campaign, which benefits the MAC AIDS Foundation. Get ready for some "performance art"! Lauper said.
The curtain went up to reveal Gaga in a white bikini and mega lace-up platforms. Never one to shy away from an accessory, she'd glued pearls to her face and body. Gaga modified her hit "Future Love" to include the words "Viva Glam" and stole the show with her amazing vocals.
Even Meryl Streep had Gaga fever. She followed the pop star with an a cappella Irish tribute to her friend Richardson. The fearless actress admitted, "It really takes guts to get up and sing after Lady Gaga!"
To contribute to the fight against AIDS, please go to amfar.org.


text:
Tag: Warner School of Education
UR unveils East High plan
When it agreed this summer to take over leadership of East High School, the University of Rochester promised substantive changes to the floundering school. The application it submitted Tuesday to the Rochester School District delivers on that promise, proposing a host of new approaches in every aspect of the school's structure, management and operation.
Young scientists present work at East High
Members of East High School's Science STARS (Students Tackling Authentic and Relevant Science) club presented the results of their investigations Thursday during an event at the school. The students worked with prospective science teachers from the University of Rochester Warner School of Education.
East High students lay out wishes for future
There will be plenty of changes at East High School next year, when the University of Rochester takes charge — important enhancements in structure, curriculum and social support that experts at the Warner School of Education believe will help improve performance at the troubled school.
East High ready for change
Cathy Smith taught special education at East High School for 13 years and is more than familiar with the challenges it faces. "I told myself that if East came up because of the whole University of Rochester thing, I'd want back in," she said. "I'm committed to the city and the students, but what we're doing is not working. So why not be part of something innovative?"
River, lake serve as summertime classrooms
Last week was an opportunity to get hands dirty – for Rochester teenagers, mucking around in the Genesee River, and for the beginner University of Rochester graduate teaching students who brought them there.
Both participated in a program called Get Real!, where science teachers in training at the UR Warner School of Education paired with summer students ages 12 to 15.
New book explores role of applied linguistics in STEM education
Warner School of Education professor Mary Jane Curry has co-edited a collection of studies and projects from researchers and professionals, offering new perspectives on how language and literacy can help facilitate and innovate various aspects of science, technology, and math education.
Special meeting to be held on Wednesday to review education plan for East High School
A special board meeting will be held on Wednesday to review the education plan for this upcoming school year for East High School.
The meeting is being held to enable board members to review and discuss the plan for East High School prior to its submission to the New York State Education Department. The state is requiring the district to submit the plan by Thursday July 31.
Why building relationships is vital in school reform
? The authors of the following post, Kara S. Finnigan and Alan J. Daly, explain research they have done that underscores the importance of the relational element in reform, and they draw on social network research as a way to highlight the importance of relationships as conduits through which valued resources flow and can bring about system wide change.
UR, city school district submit East High proposal
If it is approved by the New York State Education Department, as expected, the plan will put Rochester's largest university and employer in charge of the city's largest high school. Warner School of Education professor Steve Uebbing, the former superintendent of Canandaigua Central School District, would have ultimate responsibility.


text:
Sonic Fan Showcase : Sonic.exe
What do you think about this video?
Prince Matt the Hedgehog: For laughs, play Super Mario.exe VinAndTash Studios: The pasta said the IAMGOD face was to lunge at the screen and static then comes Kamill Allah: Sonic Exe Is not that Creepy Sonic Eyes Just Change that'ds All Thanyalak Morgan: He is not god he's just insane Kamill Allah: Sonic Exe Is not that Creepy Sonic Eyes Just Change that'ds All Susan Nugent: This is the creepypasta Kamill Allah: All he Says is Found you your to slow relly Lame MindlessWolfzy: Music/Sounds This Game Took: Kingdom of Sorrow - Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil Kefka Laugh - Final Fantasy Giygas Theme - Earthbound Generic Scream Sound Effect Lord I know the Kefka laugh and Giygas theme were mentioned in the story (which is bad to begin with), but it takes away from the game's attempt of being "scary". I believe the only original songs are the piano theme. YouStar5000: This is not scary at all. Its just a Couple of screamers and a super scary ERROR! *gasp*! YouStar5000: and... THEY GOT AN UPDATE WITH SONIC TAH HEDGEHOG DARKMETAKNIGT: You should take a bath sonic YouStar5000: PS: Go forward untill the invisible barrier goes off screen. Then Go Back! its an easter egg Patrick Gardner: can do sonic.exe v5 because theres an extra level and i want you to try out sonic.exe v5 Diana Neely: If sonic. Exe kill my life Will I do stab him TheBaxes: Kefka made this game :D, that is the reason why his laught is here FocusSight64: Fun Times! EatFruit: ...Maybe Metal's a reploid? Frazamatron: It's funny because Egg man's life icon still has his stupid grin XD littlekuribohlover72: I love going on Cofee brakes with Ben, Sonic, and Zalgo Pinkie. Don't you? SnoWidget: The translation is pretty dark but I can't fully tell what it is. TheFagirlqueen :3: sonic needs to brush is teeth XD Nico Valdez: those don't exist neenee17able: listen to the song at night time for two mins?!?!? hell to the freaking no you do it!!!! theonemangroup: ͚̈́̑͒̓͝Ą̩̀̾͋̅ͩͪͥͤͮ͡G̶͔̘̫͖̘̅̑̐̄̓͊͊͌Ä͈́̅̂̓̔̓̄I̟̣̱̬̝͗̅͛Ṇ̢̛̼͙̤̰̦̩ͯ̔̽̆ͫͬͯ?̙͖͚̭̹͑̐ͮ͝ͅ - sonic.exe Sephiroth: That's right. Why is it even there? Arin Namine: Dat FACE!! CANDYdisturberMuzik: hm. view 26,666... neenee17able: Now they want me to look into his eyes for one min at night time? I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT HIM. I mean I know it's not real but still that's not the sonic I know Sergio Aldana: Challenge Complete Randomjeiku: This is more funny than creepy. Reshiram gamer: So ... Scary Des Carroll: If you look close enough at the static you might see kool aid face LOL maqil khan: Challenge accomplished RAMON RAMOS: Drowning song Blue: @MegaGWolf Do you like Creepypastas? jennifer stockings: THAT IS NOT SONIC Jason Hall: Metal.exe sonic could beat him to death greenknight9000: true XD GunbladeMaster34: How do you pronounce the name of that laugh? Keflar is it? PROTOBLUES90: Is it sad that every time I see to glowing red dots I almost piss my pants? Sonicrulz4eva: CHALLENGE: Watch this in the dark at nighttime without screaming! ZodlerZod: HIT IT FROM THE HERE BOY CLACK Sonic3D97: ware can i find v2 Brooke Katz: I'm surprised that you didn't receive a letter to go with the game....it would have made the video more believable......lol Eoin Mcbride: That last picture made me jump out of my seat JustHereForBeingHere: Ah, I forgot that MegaGWolf responded to it. MegaGWolf: Yeah I know this now after quite a few corrections. Even still my point still stands, even if this WAS in the original story. just makes me think the original story is even more of a joke then it was before anyway :P Missy the Ranter: I just realized something. I looked down at the picture of Tails beside his name, his eyes were widened. Greyspecies9999: 2nd challenge:listen to the reversed song for about 2 mins at night time! Orion Ake: If it's possible, even though it will no longer be EXACTLY like the creepypasta this hack is based on, I think the creator of this hack should make a Sonic Adventure edition. |
Sonic Fan Showcase : Sonic.exe
out of 5


text:
10 Greatest Video Game Voice Performances Of All-Time
Little appreciated, these are the guys whose voice talents have elevated the gaming medium.
23 May 2014 Henry Dowling
Little appreciated, these are the guys whose voice talents have elevated the gaming medium.
23 May 2014 Henry Dowling
Hundreds of first-person shooters have been released over the course of the last decade: which ones will we still be talking about in 10 years time?
18 Dec 2013 David Noriega
5 Dec 2013 Wayne Madden
1 Nov 2013 J.D. Laney
4 Oct 2013 Glen Harris
19 Sep 2013 Tom Skinner
20 Aug 2013 Edward Owen
7 Aug 2013 Robert Kojder
25 Sep 2012 Greggory Basore
WhatCulture run through five of the greatest original scores from gaming history.
11 Aug 2012 Edward Smith
Game crossovers are like fantasy football, only fun. We delve into the world of what-could-be to see what amazing games could be cooked up with the right ingredients.
15 Apr 2012 Gerry McGuire
Portal 2 and Batman: Arkham City are the big winners this year.
19 Mar 2012 Matt Mann
WhatCulture's readers have voted, find out who your Game of the Year is and check out our recap of the highlights of 2011.
6 Jan 2012 Ed Moorhouse
Our video game reporter Matt Mann chronicles his top five gaming titles of the past 12 months...
1 Jan 2012 Matt Mann
2011 was a fine year for gaming, and the VGA Awards lauded the great and the good of the year's offerings. Here's the full breakdown of what went down at the awards ceremony.
14 Dec 2011 Alex Turner
Vote now for your game of the year 2011 and your independent/IOS game of the year.
13 Dec 2011 Ed Moorhouse
With 'Game of the Year' soon to be announced, check out the nominations and let us know your selection for this prestigious award.
10 Dec 2011 Dom McKenzie
Valve have announced the release of the first in a series of Portal 2 DLC
19 Aug 2011 Dom McKenzie
A new Valve game may have been outed by the husband of voice actresses Ellen McLain but what could it be?
2 Aug 2011 Matt Mann
Even though the craving for another Portal game is huge, with the idea of more puzzles and comedic adventures seaming so welcome, perhaps it is better to leave the franchise alone thus leaving players cherished memories untouched.
29 Jul 2011 Rob John Downer


text:
Sat, Jun 15, 13 at 13:12
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by Pelargonium none (My Page) on Sat, Jun 15, 13 at 14:12
I can see that it has grown quite big, it might be time for a look at the roots: Does it need a bigger pot and some new soil? I guess that would help as a first thing to do. |
Clean it up, cut out all the dead stuff and take another pic. Usually there are lots planted in a clump and some die off. It looks really happy otherwise! |
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text: The Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) has received notice of bankruptcy on the following companies possibly doing business within the state. Bankruptcy notices are generally time sensitive and require immediate (or near immediate) attention, therefore, we are issuing this notification to agencies which could be affected by the debtors in the bankruptcies. Current notice of bankruptcies (NOTE: the bankruptcies can include "aka's" and other holdings by the debtor): Jerry Earl Hairrell aka Jerry Hairrell Logging aka Clayton County Store Kim D. Weiler and Valerie K. Weiler Deb Stores Holding LLC, et al. Key Rehabilitation, Inc. ALCO Stores, Inc., et al. United Gilsonite Laboratories Xtreme Power Inc., Xtreme Power Systems, LLC, and Xtreme Power Grove, LLC Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc., et al. Simply Wheelz LLC, F/D/B/A Advantage Rent-A-Car Tactical Intermediate Holdings, Inc., et al. Steven Allen Koonce TWTR, Inc., et al. Universal Cooperatives, Inc., et al. Jamie Jeanette Rader Brooke Jennifer Watts Brookstone Holdings Corp. Energy Future Holdings Corp., et al. GSE Environmental, Inc., et al. MPM Silicones, LLC, et al. |


text:
I have painted my den in SW Believable Buff and my kitchen is painted SW Whole Wheat. We have an open floor plan and the kitchen and den are very visible from each other. The kitchen consists of 7 long windows so the Room is very bright. The den is not as bright but still has a good amount of light. I am looking for complementary colors in the blue or green family to coordinate with both of these paint colors. Specifically, I am looking for a coordinating/ complimentary color to paint the back of my white bookshelves located in the den. They face the kitchen. I would like to paint the kitchen island the same color (I think) to tie the two rooms together since they are both visible to one another. I would post pictures but i am probably the most computer challenged person you will ever meet :) I am absolutely clueless as to how to get a picture from my iPad to here. Thanks to everyone. I'm a long time lurker and decided it's finally time to join in the fun. I have learned so much from everyone. Again, thanks for your help. |
Follow-Up Postings:
The first step is to move the photo from your IPad to a photo hosting site like Photobucket. |
You're right Grayings, I do need to figure out how to do that. I checked out a Photobucket tutorial this morning and will play with that when I have more free time. Until then do you have any ideas off the top of your head? The two colors show green undertones in my house. Thanks so much! |
I wish I could help with the colors, but yoiu could download the Photobucket app to your IPad. If you are going to be hanging out here, people are going to keep asking for photos. In the meantime, the Home Decorating forum is also a good place to get advice on colors. I'm sure someone over there is familiar with those colors. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Photobucket for IPad (it's free)
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text:
Netherland Dwarfs are one of the smallest breed of rabbits with a max weight of 2.5 lbs. They were first produced in the
Early Netherland Dwarfs (even into the 1970s-1980s) had fearful and sometimes aggressive behaviors as a result of using wild rabbits in the breeding program. However through selective breeding the Netherland Dwarfs became a gentle, friendly, curious and energetic dispositioned rabbit as its known today.
The Netherland Dwarf body is short and compact and the legs are short in length. They have a larger bulldog type head with very short ears set on top of the head. Netherland Dwarfs come in over 20 colors in both solid and broken patterns.
Fleet Mt Kono
Color: Siamses Sable
She is a very nicely typed doe. She will be a great asset to my netherland dwarf program.
Sunnybrooks Echo
Color: Chin
This little girl is such a sweety. She loves to be cuddled and petted. She was a nice short little body and will be a great addition to Take 2 Rabbitry.
Fleet Mt's Peyson
Color:Broken Blue Otter
DOB: December 2, 2013
Peyson is a beautiful little doe. She has very short ears that are well shaped & fured, a very short, compact body and a nice wide, short head and she has a great broken patteren. To top it all off she has a very sweet personality. I cant wait to breed her
Color: Broken Black
DOB: July 31, 2009
King has a very nice shape to his head and ear. He has nice width to his body but could be a bit shorter through the body. He has an excellent temperment and even though he is an older buck, he is still producing beautiful babies.
Color: Blue Eyed White
Dez is a very promising little guy. He has a great head and ear. He still needs to full out a bit more in his body. He was a very outgoing personality.
Just Hoppin's Harrison
Color: Siamese Sable VM
Harrison is a very nice little buck. He has a great head and nice short thick ears. He has lots of width ad depth. He also has a very outgoing personality.
Just Hoppins ______
Color: Smoke Pearl VM
This little guy is very friendly. He has a great head and ear and lots of depth. He is just lacking a bit of width compared to his brother Harrison.


text:
photo by Romulo Yanes
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
active time
15 min
total time
1 1/4 hr (includes cooling)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus additional for greasing parchment
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Rounded 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups mixed nuts
- Special equipment: parchment paper
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly butter parchment.
Stir together butter, sugar, corn syrup, spices, and salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Spread nuts in 1 layer on lined baking sheet, separating any clumps. Bake, stirring nuts once with a heatproof rubber (silicone) spatula halfway through baking (keep nuts in 1 layer), until golden and bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 45 minutes, then break into small clusters with your hands.
Cooks' note: Candied nuts keep in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.
my notes
- Calories1,028
- Carbohydrates78 g (26%)
- Fat76 g (118%)
- Protein24 g (48%)
- Saturated Fat13 g (66%)
- Sodium322 mg (13%)
- Polyunsaturated Fat15 g
- Fiber13 g (51%)
- Monounsaturated Fat45 g
- Cholesterol15 mg (5%)
recipe at a glance
type: Kid-Friendly, Quick & Easy, Entertaining
cuisine: American
dietary considerations: Vegetarian
holiday/celebration: Cocktail Party, Superbowl, Shower, Party


text:
Mr. Thieke is the retired Chairman of the Risk Management Committee of J.P. Morgan, a financial institution. While at J.P. Morgan, he served in a variety of senior management positions, including head of the Corporate Risk Management Group. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Mr. Thieke worked for 20 years at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he was Executive Vice President and head of the Credit and Capital Markets Group. Mr. Thieke also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Financial Services Authority of the U.K. Mr. Thieke received an undergraduate degree from Manhattan College. Effective February 9, 2011, Stephen G. Thieke communicated his decision to retire as a director of PNC upon the expiration of his current term. Mr. Thieke's decision not to stand for re-election as a director at the 2011 annual meeting of PNC's shareholders was not due to any disagreement with PNC on any matter. [...] more
Fees earned or paid in cash | $30,278 |
All other compensation | $14,092 |
Total Compensation | $44,370 |
Number of shares owned | 1,558 |


text:
The End of Mountaintop Removal Mining? ItŌĆÖs Complicated.
"The people of Appalachia shouldn't have to choose between a clean, healthy environment in which to raise their families and the jobs they need to support them."
~Lisa Jackson, administrator, EPA
Photo credit: Vivian Stockman, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition / southwings.org. Used by permission
The nation's attention has been riveted on the Massey Upper Branch Mine tragedy this week. The mine explosion is a sobering reminder of the dangers of deep coal mining, and of the unconscionable dangers to which miners are exposed when profits trump safety. The tragedy comes on the heels of what may be a historic government decision to curtail a practice that has sickened, impoverished and destroyed the lives of tens of thousands of inhabitants of rural Appalachia. That practice is mountaintop removal mining. Mountaintop removal mining is a form of surface mining that lops off the tops of the nation's oldest mountain range and dumps the fill in streambeds and valleys that surround the former peaks.
The Environmental Protection Agency released a guidance statement on April 1 that could be a game changer. It mandates that fill can no longer be dumped in streambeds. The reason is that such "valley fills" pollute the watersheds with salts and other toxic minerals through the process of conductivity: the leaching effect of rainwater passing through the rubble.
The announcement was hailed in some mass media headlines as the end of mountaintop removal. The Guardian online trumpeted, "New regulations will put an end to mountaintop mining." The Minneapolis Star Tribune hailed, "EPA ruling will effectively end 'mountaintop' mining." Experts relate that it's a little more complicated than that.
The EPA came at the problem from a bit of an oblique angle—water quality—given the overwhelming natural destruction caused by mountaintop removal, writing in the agency's statement:
"We believe that circumstances unique to surface coal mining, however, are principally responsible for the increase in conductivity levels observed in surface waters downstream of mining practices. Surface coal mining involves disturbing large volumes of rock and dirt, land clearing, and spoil disposal activities at a scale not typically associated with activities such as development practices or forestry."
"Let me be clear," EPA head Lisa Jackson said in an advisory call with reporters. "This is not about ending coal mining. This is about ending coal mining pollution." Jackson was clear, and resolute, on the call. She is making waves and does not mince words. "You're talking about no, or very few, valley fills that are going to meet this standard," Jackson said. In the long term, she will probably pay for her plain-spoken determination. Regulators nearly always do. But this guidance has all the makings, if you will pardon the pun, of a watershed moment in coal country.
Reaction among longtime advocates against mountaintop removal has been cautious—and nuanced—as several of my interviews conducted with some prominent West Virginians revealed. Leaders of the effort to end mountaintop removal don't allow themselves the sweeping generalizations of the mainstream media when it comes to last week's EPA decision to prohibit the most egregious valley fill practices.
"Any time we get something like this that weighs heavily in our favor we seem to get headlines that say, 'Mountaintop removal—over!'" said Vivian Stockman, of the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition. She pointed out that the ruling is going to affect only new permits. To Stockman, calling this ruling the end of mountaintop removal is premature.
Cindy Rank, Chair of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Mining Committee, said, "I think the fairest hope is that it will limit the size and the scale of the mining operations. I don't think it will end strip mining or mountaintop removal per se."
Joe Lovett, executive director of the Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Environment, himself a primary subject of Michael Shnayerson's nonfiction bestseller Coal River, said, "I think it was a good decision that could be one step on the way to the end of mountaintop removal. I think it could spell the end of mountaintop removal in time. It was gratifying to see the EPA looking at the science."
In the view of Lovett, Rank, and Stockman, this is more the beginning of the end; that's a big difference. And that's an advisory to the movement's allies not to let their guard down.
That said, Stockman and Rank joined Lovett in celebrating EPA's adherence to good science—and, in their words, environmental justice. Said Stockman, "We're really glad to see the environmental justice aspects of what EPA is talking about in this guidance document because that is basically what we have been saying since we got involved in this fight over a decade ago—that this has been having a huge effect on humans and really affecting our cultural use of the mountains. We are real heartened to see that in there."
Indeed, Lisa Jackson seemed to be expressing just that point of view in the press release announcing the guidance, stating, "The people of Appalachia shouldn't have to choose between a clean, healthy environment in which to raise their families and the jobs they need to support them."
"The intent here is to tell people what the science is telling us, which is that it would be untrue to say that you could have numbers of valley fills, anything other than minimal valley fills, and not expect to see irreversible damage to stream health," Jackson said in the call to the reporter pool.
Vivian Stockman's reaction: "It is really heartening to see the science is finally being taken seriously. The conductivity issue is immense. The science has been ignored over politics for quite some time." Cindy Rank echoed Stockman's thoughts, "The fact that EPA has been able to pick up on the environmental justice issue is wonderful—that and the conductivity issue."
The Coal Industry's Next Move
Ms. Rank, who personally witnessed the coal industry response on March 31, characterized it as that of outrage. "They were just livid," she said.
Joe Lovett said, "The coal industry is about ready to give up. Sure, they are apoplectic about this decision, but they see which way it is going…the coal industry is going to be the party challenging this. I don't think they are going to be able to stop it."
Rank said she was hopeful the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, bolstered by new appointments, would turn back challenges mounted by the coal industry. Historically, she said, it has been like "a brick wall." Lovett, who has run up against that wall numerous times in the past, agreed. "The Fourth Circuit has really come around," he said.
Stockman offered an overview of the next phase of the struggle:
"The coal industry response has already been quite strong in saying this will kill West Virginia's economy. The industry always responds when there is even a hint that the law is possibly going to be enforced; the coal industry starts screaming about jobs. It is disingenuous because you don't hear any outcry when what they call 'market conditions' force layoffs. And the industry is always moving toward mechanization over keeping the workers. What they are doing already is fomenting fear and dialing up the rhetoric. There are already some lawsuits underway. This is far from over. Arch Coal has filed a lawsuit against EPA because EPA is threatening to veto a permit for what would be the largest mountaintop removal effort ever. We are just going to have an ever more intense backlash from the coal industry as EPA finally starts doing its job."
The EPA Has Finally Started To Do Its Job
All three experts agreed that the EPA was only one piece of the puzzle. To effect permanent, meaningful change, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Interior Department, and its Office of Surface Mining need to get behind the law as it stands today. Lovett was particularly critical of the Interior Department:
"The EPA is has really done a good job under Lisa Jackson. The Department of the Interior is the agency that has not changed, under [Ken] Salazar, since the Bush administration. And that is where the attention needs to be focused. They have been a real disappointment under the Obama administration."
When asked about the performance of the EPA under Lisa Jackson's leadership, Vivian Stockman said, "I think it is quite obvious that EPA is finally looking at science and the impacts on affected communities. I think that there are steps that the administration could do to make everything much more concrete." She characterized last Thursday's decision as a "giant step," but felt there was much more to be done. A big part of that, in her view, is the need to bring enforcement to the forefront. "We might temper any celebration because enforcement is key," she said.
Cindy Rank said, "The EPA is certainly leading the way in terms of being strong in terms of what they intend to do." Rank and the others see the EPA as being way out in front of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Office of Surface Mining, both of which she characterizes as much weaker in their responses to destructive surface mining practices. "The EPA is really our strongest hope for limiting or eliminating the valley fills," she concluded.
Photo credit: Vivian Stockman, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition / southwings.org. Used by permission
The Way Forward
"I've been around West Virginia long enough to know that politicians don't stay bought, particularly ones that are going to be in office for 12 years."
~Don Blankenship, Chair & CEO, Massey Energy,
to the New York Times, February 14, 2009
In West Virginia, Don Blankenship, Chairman and CEO of Massey Energy, has been otherwise occupied with the explosion that occurred in his company's mine on Monday, so those close to the issue haven't heard much of his well-oiled bile this week. But he has powerful friends, like West Virginia governor Joe Manchin, a Democrat, to make surrogate arguments on behalf of Blankenship's brand of Big Coal. And Manchin has already done that (just prior to the mine disaster). Big Coal, like Big Oil, is never really done.
But the opposition to Big Coal, to mountaintop removal, and to unsafe mining practices, is never really done either. Wendell Berry, a preeminent writer and environmentalist of the Appalachians, wrote in Missing Mountains, "…the forests, the soils and the streams are worth far more than the coal for which they are now being destroyed."
He defended the statement with his customary eloquence:
"Before hearing the inevitable objections to that statement, I would remind the objectors that we are not talking here about the preservation of the "American way of life." We are talking about the preservation of life itself. And in this conversation, people of sense do not put secondary things ahead of primary things. That precious creatures (or resources, if you insist) that are infinitely renewable can be destroyed for the sake of a resource that to be used must be forever destroyed, is not just a freak of short-term accounting and the externalization of cost - it is an inversion of our sense of what is good. It is madness."
A bit of that eloquence is wont to slip into the speech of a good many people of the mountains, as to Cindy Rank, describing the current moment:
"We've learned from these mountains and hills that are now disappearing, and the streams that we rely on—these have to have some sort of value in the equation. And now, ten years later, EPA has put that into these documents. The whole idea of those values that aren't valued in terms of money or finances just never found their way into this balancing act that the regulatory agencies had to administer in the face of such huge political pressure."
That pressure makes the way forward perilous on any number of fronts. For one, there is the issue of enforcement. Ms. Stockman again:
"We're not doing cartwheels and jumping for joy because we know that there is still this huge political aspect of it. And of course enforcement. Are new regulations and guidelines going to be followed or will the watchdog agencies continue to look the other way as the coal industry violates the law?"
Then there is the ever-present motion of the old political seesaw. Regulatory decisions go as administrations go. Four years—even eight years—go by quickly. EPA advisories and guidances do not carry the full force of law. And even when they do, you have industry collusion, bought and paid for governments—and courts, poor regulations, regulators who turn a blind eye, a multi-million dollar lobby, and mining disasters to contend with. On the other side—just people, people and the land itself, whose mute testament speaks volumes more than even the most eloquent of writers.
The people of coal country have been buffeted as few citizens have over the last generation. As compared to the rest of us, they have nothing—or so we might think. But if—if—Big Coal can be turned back from its most egregious practices, they may once more have the land, the remaining mountains, and the remaining streams. Coal country, if you have ever been there, is a vast and delicate treasure indeed.
But let's not get carried away. Activists like Cindy Rank, Joe Lovett, and Vivian Stockman have been at this for more than a decade. Perhaps Ms. Rank sums it best in saying, "Things sound so much better than they have for 10 years that I can't help but be encouraged."
"Although," she cautioned, "I've said that before and I have been caught short."
* * *
Mountaintop removal was previously the subject of my Open Salon blog on March 31, 2009.
Wendell Berry's quote is excerpted from Missing Mountains: We went to the mountaintop but it wasn't there: Kentuckians write against mountaintop removal (Nicholasville, KY: Wind Publications, 2005).
I would also love to see this on Salon.com.
So tell us, what are they going to do? Having been around the mines since I was a teenager I've seen families and towns die as the mines died. Who is going to pay their wages? Who is going to retrain them? Even with Byrd still in the Senate WV is about as poor as it can get. Tell us please, what do you want the people to do?
So where are we going to get our power? Currently we get about 50% of our electricity from coal fired plants. What are you going to replace that with? I would like to know. How soon are you going to be able to get your ideas up and running? How are you going to fill the gap?
Did you know it costs about a 1/3 of the cost of other power productions methods to run a coal fired plant? When is the last time you yelled at one of your kids for leaving the lights on or for air conditioning the outside by leaving the door open? So what are the poor people going to do when the production cost triples?
What about the industries that service the coal production? Did you know a coal car on a train holds 115 tons of coal? Have you ever seen the mile long coal train? Coal provides more revenue for the trains than anything else that moves by rail. Have you seen the ships being loaded with coal? What about all the high paying jobs at the docks that will be gone if there is not coal to load?
Our industries that rely on coke are about dead now. Are you ready to kill them off? They are normally high paying jobs. Our industry is leaving and going overseas. Are you ready to export more jobs?
Maybe you want to send men and women back underground. Let me tell you that once you enter the mouth of a mine you can see what hell is like in your mind. How many were killed the other day? China loses 1000's per year, that they admit to. Is that where you want people to go? I remember as a young kid we would sit around the bathhouse (yes, coming out of the mine you have to take a shower so you are clean enough to go home and take a shower) and place bets if the guy who just came out of the mouth of the mine was black or white. At a distance it was hard to tell.
So please, tell me what we are going to do.
Mountaintop removal has driven tens of thousands of people from their homes. For them, it is not a question of how to earn a living, it it a question of being bought out of ancestral lands in a one bidder deal while blasts shake their walls, slurry ponds threaten their children and poisoned water runs in the streams that run by their (now former) homes.
The residents of Coal River do not take up your refrain. I recommend the book of the same name if you want to understand their real concerns.
Underground mining, while brutally difficult, can be much safer than it is at present in the Upper Branch Mine. All you have to do is listen to a few safety experts of the type who teach at the Colorado School of Mining to learn that. I have the names of many other experts on the tip of my tongue as well.
Advocates of safe and responsible mining do not want to shut down mining, they want it safe and responsible--to the environment and to the people of the region.
As to the mining jobs, as opposed to historical numbers, 85% of them are gone, the same way small, family farming jobs are gone. The EPA and its guidelines have had minimal effect on those numbers, while Big Coal's anti-labor stance and mechanized methods have had everything to do with it.
You pose a false dichotomy that anti-MTR advocates have heard endlessly repeated--while you refuse to acknowledge the reality on the ground.
Thanks for replying. My father was a mining engineer. I've been around mines for what seems like forever.
Things in the mines have changed. Some for the better. You no longer have to carry a bird cage with you down there and they don't use open flame lamps to see. The safer practices we now have did come about because machines now do some of the dangerous work that was done by hand, but I assume that lots of industries have gone through that growing spell.
A lot of the coal that is strip mined is done so because the seam is to small or the coal is to shallow. You do have to have a fair amount of roof over your head to prevent cave in.
You still did address what we are going to do. Those jobs, even if they are getting fewer and fewer still pay well. I also don't know if the companies are union busting or if they are just making the cost for machines easier to justify. Back when I got out of high school I started to go into the mines. Way back then a Red Hat miner made $100 per shift.
How are you going to fix WV? If I had that answer do you think I would be driving this truck? What I do know is you are not going to fix it by cutting the coal production by 10%. The EPA can and will move at lighting speed compared to what WV needs done. President Obama while on the campaign trail made a comment about bankrupting coal fired plants and, as you call it, Big Coal.
So don't jerk what little bit of a rug WV has under it out until you have a plan to fix it. Don't cut the revenue of the railroads until you have a replacement, and don't make people choice between electric power and food because the cost of production tripled.
BTW, you never did say what the plan was to fix WV.
Catnlion, Preventing Big Coal from violating the Clean Water Act, a federal law, does not put the onus on environmentalists to "fix" West Virginia. Rather, the onus is on Big Coal to find a profitable, environmentally responsible way to mine. If that causes the price of coal to rise, that would be a good thing, because it would spur development of alternative energy sources. Some of those sources, like natural gas, are currently available to more development in WV.
The underlying problem is that of building an economy on resource exploitation. The weaknesses it introduces are numerous and debilitating. Economic development works the same way in all 50 states, except in areas where strategies of resource exploitation preclude the kind of creative thinking other must states engage in to enhance economic growth. In short, coal is a crutch. It should simply be one element in a balanced economy.
As to a 10% drop in coal output, the EPA ruling will cause no such thing, particularly in the short term.
I wish it weren't so complicated—if only we could just put an end to what one image is enough to convince us is an outrage--and thank you for the well researched and balanced piece.
Rated and very much appreciated
Both bills have made tremendous progress- HR 1310, the Clean Water Protection Act, has a 169 cosponsors and SB 696, the Appalachia Restoration Act, has 11 cosponsors, with the recent addition of Senator Sherrod Brown from the coal state of Ohio.
While we are definitely applaud about the steps the EPA has taken, legislative solutions are much more permanent solution that a future administration cannot undo. You can learn more about the bills at iLoveMountains.org
The former Bureau of Mines wanted to develop modern underground long wall techniques which remove miners from the physically dangerous work face (because the roof bolts are not yet in place). The Miners union resisted such technical development, fearing that automation would reduce the total number of mining jobs and wanted safety programs to continue enhancing the present, but intrinsically more dangerous, methods.
The real longer term solution is to abandon all Appalachian mining and put money into re-training miners for work more in keeping with the modern economy for bith safety and health (black lung disease).
Peter Crimes
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from the darkness…beauty
not much to tell…
mostly see in black to white,
occasionally in colour…
"the obscure we see eventually…
the completely obvious, it seems, takes longer…"
Edward R Murrow
View Full Profilebeautiful work
thanks Anthony
– Richard George
Definitely one of the absolute coolest mushroom pictures I`ve ever seen :-)
Dark, emotive… and yeah, beautiful. In a bio-fungal sort of way…
Awesome lighting and framing too.
This is great work!
a most gracious comment, thank you Bill
– Richard George
gorgeous Amanita, great lighting. love it
thank you Matt
– Richard George
most kind, thank you
– Richard George
words are not enough
I am flattered, thank you
– Richard George
Excellent work and light
hi Joy, thank you
– Richard George
Love this!!!
hi Silvia, glad you approve
– Richard George
what an amazing portfolio you have! i will be looking out for more.
a most generous comment, thank you..
– Richard George
Stunning work!!
thanks Debra…how's things in TO??
– Richard George
It has been lovely here..not too cold and lots of sun. Our fall colours are still out, we still have blooming roses… and I actually saw a butterfly yesterday. Got to love that in November. How is life on the west coast Mister? Nice to see your back. Love your collection of B&W's.
Going to try and catch up on so many fine works…I really missed the excellance here (in works, but more importantly people) ….thanks for your gracious comments and warm welcome Debra!
– Richard George


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During the first half of 2006, there were 124 network news reports on former President George W. Bush's approval rating, according to conservative watchdog group Accuracy in Media. Accordingly, there were just nine reports on President Barack Obama's low approval rating in the first half of 2014.
The discrepancy has some decrying media bias. John Ekdahl, a blogger at the popular Ace of Spades blog, called the comparison "f***ing incredible" in a tweet.
via www.theblaze.com


text: By John W. McCurry on February 26, 2014 Posted in Air Cargo World Magazine, Middle East and tagged ups, Middle East UPS is bullish on the potential growth of its business in the Middle East and is making significant investments. The company has been established in the United Arab Emirates since 1995 and recently expanded its contract logistics facility in Dubai's Jebel Ali Free Zone to 159,000 square feet (14,771 square meters). "We have seen that part of the... Login | register to read more and post comments More Latest Magazine Related Articles Connectivity propels Middle East Middle East Surging: Emirates tops international rankings while FedEx, UPS still busiest overall Iraq's commercial cargo market looking up We're in a good place, claims Saudi Cargo


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Until recently, the sad-looking rows of redbrick warehouses near Liverpool's Albert Dock served only as reminders of better times, when the city received 40% of the world's cargo. But regeneration and gentrification mean these once-crumbling buildings are now thriving again. They are home to a new creative community, including photographers, music producers, fashion designers, entrepreneurs, architects and digital agencies – all working in an area now described as the Baltic Triangle.
One warehouse – formerly home to a coach shed, blade factory and furnace – is now occupied by Camp and Furnace. With more than 2,500 square metres at its disposal, Camp and Furnace has a space that allows "pop-ups" (retailers, food markets, festivals and installations) to spring up, trade, leave and be replaced by something different a few days later.
The idea is the brainchild of Camp and Furnace manager Ian Richards, design agency director Simon Wolf, architect Miles Falkingham, brothers Tim and Paul Speed (music promoters and owners of Elevator Studios) and arts administrator James Moores. They secured a 10-year lease and opened in May. "We thought it would be a great idea to offer all the best bits we liked about festivals and other customer events, and put it under one roof," says Richards, who has already hired Camp and Furnace out to host the Liverpool Biennial (a 10-week celebration of art and culture), the International Festival of Psychedelia, the Vintage Wedding Festival, Google's first staff-engagement day, and the Liverpool Food and Drink awards, as well as farmers' markets and pop-up art fairs.
New and improved
Despite being the new warehouse on the block, business is booming because, Richards says, the cost of the space is around 20% cheaper than other large-scale venues. What's more, Camp and Furnace supplements money from external clients, so-called "dry-hires", with its own branded events, which account for about 20% of its revenue. It has its own bar and kitchen, and has hosted everything from bank holiday picnics (when it turfed over the main hall with real grass and installed hot tubs) to weekly Sunday roasts. The company even brews its own beer – Brown Bear – on site.
"The Sunday lunches now attract regulars who want a different sort of experience," says Richards. "Food comes out on wooden boards, for diners to carve themselves, and once it's booked up, it's booked up. Numbers are deliberately limited [to around 150], to maintain the charm of the environment. It's totally relaxed, too. It's not unusual for young kids to bring their bikes and cycle around inside. It's very chilled."
Richards is proud of Camp and Furnace's democratic demographic: "We'll attract everyone, from a skinny-jeans-wearing 16-year-old, to the likes of my mum and dad, who want to come and enjoy a cup of tea and admire the space. Because we're not dead-centre in the middle of town, people have to make a conscious effort to come here, but it means that when they do, they want to stay longer."
Quirks that keep people coming back include the industrial-looking Furnace Room and the design-oriented Camp Room, which houses a growing collection of vintage caravans. "The caravans are partly here to create the 'outdoors inside' look, but we're also planning to convert them to be revenue-generating, mini boutique 'hotel' rooms that people can stay in for the night." The camping atmosphere is all very deliberate, to capitalise on the "glamping" trend that Richards says is very fashionable.
But the challenge with hosting blink-and-you-miss-them, pop-up-style events is that people need to know they are happening. "We're posting events all the time on Twitter and Facebook – 2,666 'likes' and counting," Richards says. "Luckily, every time we run an event, we're growing our database [it now runs into several thousand], so email newsletters are just as important, as well as updates to our blog."
Another issue that Richards says he's starting to face is protecting the longevity of the business, rather than going for fast bucks. "We're a growing venture and we've reached the point where we know we could probably fill the Furnace every week – we have many inquiries. But we also need to be mindful of what's appropriate for the Camp and Furnace brand. We see ourselves as curators of a space, so, like museums, we've decided to protect the space we offer."
Possible additions to Camp and Furnace's own-brand events include a Camp Shop, operating from within the building. "We see this selling prints and trendy branded merchandise, which is why we need to have one eye on the longer term."
The charge for clients using its space range from £350 per day for studio photography to £2,000 a day to hire the whole Furnace. Prices can be kept low because fixed costs are low. The operation only has half a dozen full-time staff. Richards says: "Conference inquiries have gone through the roof, but we don't want to charge a premium just because clients want to tap into a bit of cool."
Lasting relationships
Because of increasing demand to use the space as a wedding venue, Camp and Furnace has become a registered venue where weddings and civil partnerships can be performed. "We already have four weddings confirmed for 2013 and are receiving inquiries for 2014," he says. "We see this as a growing part of the business."
But as more customers come back, Richards knows he'll soon need a wider range of mechanisms for keeping them. "We do need to start rewarding the loyalty of our customers," he says, which is why location-based promotions such as Priority Moments on O2 would make a perfect fit. "This sort of mechanism would have massive appeal. It has possibilities, for example, to support a midweek dinner experience."
He also says the spontaneity of the offer-creation tool is in tune with the pop-up-and-fold-down ethos of Camp and Furnace. "These offers are specific, for a set day, just like how we operate here. It's very fleet-of-foot; we can put up an offer and take it down just as quickly as our events come and go."
With a business such as his, Richards believes the total number of clients hiring is less important than total levels of footfall. He says occupancy is 50-80% most weeks, but if a single event can bring in thousands of people, this is where the long-term value will be. And, he maintains, he won't lose sight of the mix of events – even if this means taking less revenue than he could. "We're in quite a dynamic time, but just being here is not good enough," he says. "We need to give people a compelling reason to come here."
Get your priorities right
Creating a strong customer base and brand is vital for a business such as Camp and Furnace, which is considering rolling out its model in other vacant spaces throughout the UK. Fortunately, O2 is helping British businesses to build their reputation and attract customers by introducing them to Priority Moments – a free-to-use service giving O2 customers exclusive offers and experiences.
Independent business owners, including non-O2 customers, can use the service for free, enabling them to upload details of the deals or offers they're running. This will give them access to O2's millions of loyal Priority Moments customers. It's great for businesses and great for customers.


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A convicted killer will spend 60 years behind bars for an Omaha shooting death.
DeVaughn Griffin took a plea deal for the shooting death of Jer'Ray Moore near 83rd Street and Underwood Avenue last April.
He will serve time for second-degree murder instead of first-degree murder.
The case against Griffin's alleged accomplice, LaMichael Fewell, was dismissed last month
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This Day in History: First US Navy Aircraft Carrier Commissioned (March 20, 1922)
Updated: 03/20/2014 - Aircraft carriers are a vital part of the naval fleet in the current age, but it all began with the commissioning of a vessel named the Langley.
Updated: 03/20/2014 - Aircraft carriers are a vital part of the naval fleet in the current age, but it all began with the commissioning of a vessel named the Langley.
Updated: 03/20/2014 - The flare is a common way for boats and ships in distress to signal for help.
Updated: 03/20/2014 - Get a look at the stories trending online from the Morning Show and what's on the menu at local area schools, all with some upbeat music!
Updated: 03/20/2014 - It's a romantic tradition between two in love--the proposal! And, it's celebrated with an unofficial holiday.
Updated: 03/20/2014 - It trends every Thursday on Facebook and Twitter, Throwback Thursday!
Updated: 03/19/2014 - It's all about time on March 19th, 1918. That's when the Standard Time Act went into effect in the United States.
Updated: 03/19/2014 - Grace Hopper was a pioneer in the field of computers and computer programs.
Updated: 03/19/2014 - Every Wednesday, News 4 This Morning takes a look at an assortment of the stories from our show that viewers and readers are talking about on our webchannel and related social media.
Updated: 03/19/2014 - News 4 This Morning asked its viewers: what movie sequels do you consider the most disappointing or just the worst?
Updated: 03/20/2014 - It was the third movie in a popular franchise and would be the last for at least twenty years.
Updated: 03/19/2014 - The Women's Curling Team of the United States got off to a great start in the 2014 World Championships, but encountered a pair of defeats on Tuesday.
Posted: 03/18/2014 - During the heated early days of the space race, both the Americans and Soviets strove to achieve every major first in space—including the first man to "walk" in space outside of their spacecraft.
Posted: 03/18/2014 - March is Women's History Month and on the anniversary of the very first Spacewalk, News 4 This Morning is taking a look at the first two women in space.
Posted: 03/18/2014 - Every Tuesday, News 4 This Morning takes a look at the major and notable DVD & Blu-Ray releases of the week!
Updated: 03/18/2014 - Sporting events have been a staple of television since the beginning, and broadcasts of sport remain popular to this day.
Updated: 03/18/2014 - After three straight wins, the team from the United States of America faced their first defeat in the 2014 Women's World Curling Championships.
Updated: 03/17/2014 - On this day in 2000, the film Erin Brockovich starring Julia Roberts was released in theaters.
Updated: 03/17/2014 - Marie Curie was a pioneering researcher in the fields of chemistry and physics and led the way in research into materials that gave off radiation.
Updated: 03/17/2014 - Get a look at the stories trending online from the Morning Show and what's on the menu at local area schools, all with some upbeat music!
Updated: 03/17/2014 - Every Monday, News 4 This Morning asks for feedback from friends of the show involving music!
Updated: 03/17/2014 - The 2014 Winter Paralympics wrapped up in Sochi on Sunday with the final events and the Closing Ceremonies.
Updated: 03/14/2014 - March is National Youth Art Month, and News 4 This Morning looking for art from the youth of the Wiregrass.
Updated: 03/14/2014 - One brand of cars endured for many decades, while another is considered by some to be one of the worst of all time.
Updated: 03/14/2014 - They're thinly-sliced, fried portions of potatoes and come in many different flavors and brands: potato chips!
Updated: 03/14/2014 - Team USA scored a major win in Ice Sled Hockey, but a crucial Wheelchair Curling game was lost at the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi on Thursday.